A ONE MAN SHOW OF M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI IN LONDON 1966
COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTE ATTEMPTED SABOTAGE BY INSIDERS

Field Marshal Ayub Khan was very fond of artist M.A. Rahman Chughtai and inaugurated many of his paintings show. A visit of the President of Pakistan was planned in London and the reception at the Commonwealth Institute to be attended by the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II herself. President Ayub Khan proposed a Chughtai’s show at the London venue, to be attended by himself as well as the Queen. This was supposed to be on 24th November, 1966, as everybody new.,

There were people in the concerned Ministry, who held resentment for President Ayub Khan. And similarly they did not like the Art of Chughtai to receive host of publicity in western art circles. Order of Ayub Khan could not be circumvented, but a trick was played by administration. President Ayub was to attend a function at the same place and the Chughtai show was to be at the Commonwealth Institute on 24th November, 1966. At the last moment a change of plans was made and the show was scheduled from 15th December 1966 to 8th January, 1967. S.K. Dehlavi the Pakistan Ambassador knew all this well and told me many stories when I was in Bonn, Germany in 1976. A lot of state secrets were told to me.

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In any case the Show was held and although well attended, did not please the artist and he reprimanded concerned, that a place like London, has the capacity for lakhs of visitors, and the attendance was below normal. However the case is on record and we rarely even hear about it from imbecile and jealous art commentators here. We give you a glimpse of same.